I choose...

I’ve been thinking about what I was going to write about today. It was only 95 here yesterday which is almost miraculous, but I didn’t think you wanted to read another post about the weather.

I thought about posting a few more photos from my new camera, because the camera, it really is cool, but how many pictures of roses can you stand?

I thought about whining about Sir D’s new job and how the children at work are taking too much of his time, leaving very little for his actual children. But well, whiney.

So I read an article today and it kinda hit me square between the eyes.

I must admit to occasionally-a lot, being self righteous. If I didn’t train these kids… If I didn’t do the laundry… If I didn’t cook dinner… If I didn’t (fill in the blank, again and again and again).

Then I get tired and I feel like it’s not fair. Then I get frustrated about all the things I am doing that are not going right, and all these people not doing what I tell them the way I tell them and all the things not going as I had planned.

I seem to go from ‘I did it all – go me!’ to ‘I have to do it all - poor me’ in a flash.

Then in the article, was a reference to this scripture.

Deuteronomy 8: 10-18.

When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. He led you through the vast and dreadful desert, that thirsty and waterless land, with its venomous snakes and scorpions. He brought you water out of hard rock. He gave you manna to eat in the desert, something your fathers had never known, to humble and to test you so that in the end it might go well with you. You may say to yourself, "My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me." But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today. (emphasis mine)

Now I don’t pretend to understand all the nuances of the Old Testament. Is this writing only for the Israelites? Is it for me too or am I only to learn from the lessons in that part of The Book, but not expect them to be personally applicable? I don’t know.

What I do know is that verse spoke directly to me today.

No matter how much Sir D is having to work right now and no matter what my bank account says . My family is wealthy. We have shelter, we have food, we have water, and if that were all we had we would be wealthy, but we have so much more. And still I fall into that trap of feeling like I have had to do it all myself, and I deserve more.

We’ve been through much harder times than these and the Lord has sustained us and we have even prospered.

I have chosen, for today, to not forget. To Praise the Lord for the good he has given me, and believe he will sustain us through this too.